Refleksi: Jurnal Kajian Agama dan Filsafat
Refleksi: Jurnal Kajian Agama dan Filsafat is published by the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta, in cooperation with Himpunan Peminat Ilmu-ilmu Ushuluddin (HIPIUS). The journal specializes in Qur'an and Hadith studies, Islamic Philosophy, and Religious studies, and welcomes contributions from scholars in related disciplines.
Faculty of Ushuluddin Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta
Epistemologi Penafsiran Esoterik Al-Qur’an: Diskursus Tafsir dan Takwil dalam Tradisi Sufistik
Esoteric interpretation of the Qur’an has long occupied a significant place in the Islamic exegetical tradition, particularly within Sufi intellectual and spiritual circles. Existing studies on esoteric interpretation have largely focused on interpretive products and Sufi symbolism, while limited attention has been given to the epistemological foundations that distinguish tafsīr and taʾwīl as the conceptual basis of esoteric interpretation. This article aims to analyze the epistemological relationship between tafsīr, taʾwīl, and esoteric interpretation through a conceptual and philosophical-hermeneutical analysis of classical and contemporary literature. The findings reveal that, epistemologically, esoteric interpretation is more closely related to the concept of taʾwīl than to tafsīr in its formal sense. The narrowing of the meaning of tafsīr within the Islamic scholarly tradition has generated various criticisms of esoteric interpretation, as it is often regarded as failing to meet the standards of exegesis oriented toward authorial intent. In contrast, esoteric interpretation operates through the reader’s horizon, shaped by spiritual experience, intuition, and kashf, in order to uncover the symbolic meanings of the text. These findings suggest that the relationship between tafsīr and taʾwīl may be understood as a hermeneutical distinction between exegesis and eisegesis, while simultaneously affirming esoteric interpretation as a legitimate epistemological model within the tradition of Qur’anic studies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Trisna Yudistira, Moh. Anwar Syarifuddin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Ekoteologi Islam dan Kearifan Agraris Kejawen: Relasi Tuhan, Manusia, dan Alam di Wonosobo
Previous studies on Islamic ecotheology have predominantly emphasized the normative-doctrinal dimensions of environmental ethics, while the implementation of ecological theology in the lived practices of local Muslim communities, particularly through agrarian rituals and traditional ecological knowledge, remains underexplored. This study addresses that gap by analyzing the relationship between God, humans, and nature in the traditional agricultural practices of the Javanese Islamic (Kejawen) community in Lengkong Village, Wonosobo Regency. Employing a qualitative ethnographic design, data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation with farmers and community elders, and were analyzed thematically using NVivo software. The findings reveal that agricultural practices in Lengkong constitute a lived ecotheology in which the Qur’anic concepts of khalifah (vicegerency), amanah (trust), mizan (cosmic balance), and ayat kauniyah (cosmic signs) are articulated not through doctrinal texts but through embodied ritual practice, planting prayers, symbolic offerings (sesaji), incense burning, and cosmologically oriented land management. The study also finds that the traditional Pranata Mangsa agrarian calendar is no longer directly employed due to climate-induced seasonal disruption and agricultural modernization; yet its underlying ecological ethic persists through adaptive negotiation between traditional knowledge and farmers’ empirical experience. This study contributes to contemporary Islamic ecotheological discourse by demonstrating how local agrarian traditions function as a form of environmental ethics rooted in Islamic spirituality and Javanese cosmology, thereby repositioning ecotheology from a normative doctrine toward a practiced, embodied ethic relevant to global debates on indigenous ecological knowledge and climate adaptation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ahmad Taqwin, Maharsi, Moh. Soehada https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Redefining Islamic Authority in Indonesia: The Dialectics of Pesantren and Tajdid in Contemporary Muslim Society
Existing studies on pesantren and Islamic reform movements have generally examined these traditions separately, while limited attention has been given to their dialogical role in shaping contemporary Islamic authority in Indonesia. This study examines the process of redefining Islamic authority through the interaction between the pesantren tradition and the tajdid movement. Employing qualitative library research with a socio-historical approach, the study analyzes classical and contemporary scholarly works representing both intellectual traditions. The article contributes to the discourse on Islamic authority by positioning pesantren and tajdid as complementary rather than competing traditions. The findings reveal that Islamic authority in Indonesia has evolved through a continuous process of negotiation between tradition and reform. Pesantren preserve scholarly continuity through sanad-based learning, collective deliberation, and contextual adaptation, while the tajdid movement promotes rationalization, purification, and responsiveness to social transformation. Rather than existing in opposition, both traditions contribute to the formation of a dynamic, moderate, and adaptive model of Islamic authority. This study argues that the redefinition of Islamic authority in Indonesia is the result of an ongoing dialogue between traditionalism and reformism, enabling Islamic institutions to respond effectively to contemporary religious, social, and intellectual challenges.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Sairi, Muria Khusnun Nisa, M. Ridwan Lubis https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pesantren and Social Equilibrium: A Structural Functionalist Analysis of Religious Value Clashes
This article aims to analyze the relationship between pesantren and surrounding communities by analyzing religious value clashes through the perspective of Talcott Parsons’ structural functionalism. Existing studies on pesantren-community relations have largely focused on educational transformation, cultural adaptation, and religious authority, while limited attention has been given to understanding value conflicts as mechanisms that contribute to social equilibrium. Employing a qualitative case study approach, this research draws on in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis conducted in several pesantren in East Java. The findings reveal that religious value differences emerge in areas such as educational aspirations, gender norms, technological change, and social behavior. However, these differences do not necessarily lead to social disintegration. Instead, pesantren and communities continuously negotiate competing values through dialogue, social participation, and institutional adaptation. Applying Parsons’ AGIL framework, the study demonstrates that pesantren perform adaptation through educational innovation and modernization, goal attainment through moral and religious formation, integration through community engagement and social mediation, and latency through the preservation of Islamic traditions and religious culture. This article argues that religious value clashes should be understood not as signs of dysfunction but as adaptive processes that help maintain social stability and equilibrium. The study contributes to the sociological understanding of religion by reinterpreting structural functionalism within the context of Indonesian Islam and conceptualizing pesantren as adaptive religious institutions capable of balancing tradition and social change.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Izzul Islam An Najmi, Sulalah Sulalah, Helmi Syaifuddin, Masdar Hilmy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Al-Ghazali’s Sufism and Ethical Spiritual Leadership in Contemporary Islamic Politics
The crisis of integrity, political corruption, and moral disorientation in contemporary leadership has generated an urgent need for a leadership paradigm that integrates institutional effectiveness with ethical character formation and spiritual consciousness. This study aims to reconstruct Al-Ghazali’s Sufi teachings in Iḥyā’ ‘Ulūm al-Dīn as a conceptual foundation for developing an Ethical–Spiritual Leadership model within the context of contemporary Islamic politics. Employing a qualitative library-based approach, the study utilizes philosophical-hermeneutic inquiry, conceptual textual analysis, and comparative analysis of Al-Ghazali’s works alongside contemporary leadership theories. The findings reveal that central Ghazalian concepts such as ikhlāṣ (sincerity), ‘adl (justice), zuhd (self-restraint), and amānah (trustworthiness) constitute an integrated leadership framework that combines moral, spiritual, and political dimensions. Unlike contemporary leadership paradigms that primarily emphasize organizational effectiveness and social relations, Al-Ghazali’s model places transcendental accountability and self-purification at the core of public decision-making. This study proposes an Ethical–Spiritual Leadership Framework as a synthesis between Ghazalian spirituality and contemporary leadership discourse, demonstrating its relevance to the development of Islamic political ethics amid the challenges of globalization, leadership crises, and moral decline. The study contributes to the advancement of Islamic political ethics and leadership studies by offering a leadership perspective that integrates public governance, character formation, and spiritual responsibility within a coherent conceptual framework.
Copyright (c) 2026 Yusuf Aman, Dede Rosyada, Attabik Luthfi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Against Mental Imagery: William Fish on Imagination as Perceptual Experience
This paper examines William Fish’s rejection of the mental imagery model in explaining perceptual experience. The mental imagery model, rooted in representationalist frameworks or indirect realism, views experience as the perception of internal images that function as copies of external objects. Conversely, Fish, through the framework of direct realism, rejects the role of internal representations and asserts that perceptual experience involves the direct presence of external objects within its phenomenal structure. This paper argues that whilst Fish’s anti-imagery position successfully critiques the representational model, this framework faces difficulties in explaining the stability of the object of experience, particularly in the case of non-visual experiences such as sound and smell. In such contexts, the object of experience is not always clearly present and directly identifiable, thereby undermining the claim regarding the direct presence of the object in experience. This research is a descriptive-argumentative literature study aimed at analysing texts from a conceptual-philosophical perspective. Consequently, this paper demonstrates that the rejection of the mental imagery model has not yet fully succeeded in providing an adequate explanation of the phenomenal structure of perceptual experience.
Copyright (c) 2026 Rizky Yazid https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Hadith Learning and Salafi Educational Epistemology in Wahdah Islamiyah Makassar
This study examines the understanding of Hadith within Wahdah Islamiyah and its implications for education and da’wah. Using a qualitative field research approach, data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation involving organizational leaders, preachers, and educational figures. The study analyzes Wahdah Islamiyah’s methodological orientation, epistemological foundations, and influence on religious learning and preaching activities. The findings show that Wahdah Islamiyah adopts a predominantly textual approach rooted in the manhaj al-salaf, emphasizing adherence to the Qur’an, Sunnah, and interpretations of classical scholars. Hadith is understood through a framework prioritizing textual authenticity, scholarly authority, and methodological discipline. This orientation significantly shapes the organization’s educational and da’wah systems by encouraging structured learning, moral development, and doctrinal consistency. The study also reveals that Wahdah Islamiyah seeks to preserve the continuity of Islamic intellectual tradition, strengthen religious literacy, maintain theological stability, and reinforce orthodox Sunni identity within contemporary Muslim society. Furthermore, this approach functions as an instrument for safeguarding religious understanding from subjective interpretation while reinforcing organizational identity and sustaining the transmission of Islamic teachings across educational institutions contemporarily. “This study contributes to the discourse on Hadith pedagogy by demonstrating how Salafi-oriented organizations institutionalize textual Hadith learning within integrated formal and nonformal educational systems.”
Copyright (c) 2026 Radhie Munadi, Abd. Bashir Fatmal, Nur Hasti, Arifuddin Ahmad https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Beyond the Islamic State and Secularism: Nahdlatul Ulama and the Search for Religious–Nationalist State Model
This article aims to analyze the dynamics of politico-religious thought within Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) concerning the relationship between Islam and the state in Indonesia, with particular reference to the ideas of Wahid Hasyim, Abdurrahman Wahid, and Salahuddin Wahid. Existing studies primarily focus on institutional or ideological debates on Islam and the state, while little attention has been given to the internal intellectual evolution of religion–state thought within Nahdlatul Ulama across generations. Employing a qualitative approach, this study uses an intellectual comparative method by examining key writings, speeches, and the historical contexts shaping the thought of these three figures. The article explores patterns of continuity and changes in NU’s responses to the question of the state foundation within a pluralistic society. The findings reveal that NU’s political thought has evolved historically and is not monolithic; rather, it reflects three major tendencies: shari‘a formalism, religious substantivism supporting pluralist secularism, and religio-nationalism as a synthesis. Wahid Hasyim represents a formalistic orientation that emphasizes the institutionalization of Islamic principles within the state; Abdurrahman Wahid advances a substantive approach that rejects formalization and support pluralist secular state; while Salahuddin Wahid proposes a religio-nationalist formulation that accommodates religious values without establishing them as the formal basis of the state. The study finds that these shifts are shaped by historical and sociological dynamics, including constitutional processes and the flexibility of Sunni fiqh traditions. It concludes that the relationship between religion and the state within NU constitutes a dynamic spectrum, with religio-nationalism emerging as the most adaptive model for reconciling religiosity and pluralism in Indonesia’s democratic context.
Copyright (c) 2026 M. Zaki Mubarak, Idris Thaha https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Kontrol Sosial dan Framing Media Lokal dalam Polemik Pembangunan Masjid MIAH di Bogor
Mass media perform a crucial social control function by monitoring public affairs and shaping public understanding of contentious social issues. Existing studies on religious conflict reporting in Indonesia primarily focus on national media framing, while limited attention has been paid to how local media construct religious legitimacy and social control in intra-Muslim conflicts. This study examines the coverage of the construction of the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (MIAH) Mosque in Bogor by two local media outlets, Metropolitan.id and Hariansinarbogor.com, using a qualitative approach based on Teun A. van Dijk's Critical Discourse Analysis at the levels of text, social cognition, and social context. The findings reveal that Metropolitan.id frames the controversy through narratives of social harmony and concerns over Salafi-Wahhabi influence, whereas Hariansinarbogor.com emphasizes constitutional rights, religious freedom, and the legality of mosque construction. These contrasting discourses demonstrate that local media do not merely disseminate information but actively construct competing narratives of religious legitimacy, reproduce symbolic power, and shape public perceptions of Islamic authority. This study contributes to the discourse on religious media framing by demonstrating that social control in local journalism operates through ideological discourse, making local media not only agents of public oversight but also producers of religious legitimacy and arenas for contesting Islamic authority in contemporary Indonesia.
Copyright (c) 2026 Suhaimi, Fauzan Kaifah, Cinta Rahmi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Manaqib al-Nūr al-Burhān and Character Education in Pesantren: A Study of Nahdlatul Ulum Boarding School Kresek
This study aims to describe the implementation of manaqib Syaikh Abdul Qadir al-Jailani in shaping students’ character. It also contributes to pesantren studies by demonstrating how manaqib functions not merely as a ritual practice, but as a lived pedagogical system for the internalization of Sufi-based education. In short, threse religious teachings contain spiritual, moral, and social dimensions─playing a significant role in the holistic formation of students’ character. This research employs a qualitative methodology, utilizing a hermeneutic approach to interpret the meanings and values contained in the manaqib texts, and an ethnographic approach to understand the practice of manaqib within the lived experiences of the students. Through this dual approach, the meaning of manaqib is examined both from the textual dimension and from the direct experiences of its practitioners. The findings reveal that the manaqib ritual at Nahdlatul Ulum Kresek Islamic Boarding School is conducted regularly from the 1st to the 11th of Rabīʿ al-Ākhir. The series of activities includes fasting, zikir, reading Nūr al-Burhānī, and conducting istighāsah together. Through these practices, students are guided to internalize and develop values such as patient (ṣabr), humble (tawaḍḍu’), sincerely (ikhlāṣ), intellectual attentiveness, and social responsibility. The implementation of the manaqib tradition is shown to play a significant role in strengthening the affective and spiritual dimensions of students’ character education, while simultaneously serving as a means of preserving Sufi-oriented religious traditions that constitute a distinctive identity of the pesantren.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhamad Fauzi, Rifqi Miftahul Amili https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Pan-Islamism and Islamic Nationalism: Sarekat Islam’s Ideology in the Indonesian Independence Movement (1911–1927)
The rise of Indonesian nationalism in the early twentieth century cannot be separated from the contribution of Sarekat Islam (SI), the largest Islamic political movement in colonial Indonesia. While previous studies have examined SI from political, organizational, and anti-colonial perspectives, limited attention has been given to the role of Pan-Islamism in shaping its ideological foundations. This study analyzes the reception of Pan-Islamism within SI and its contribution to the emergence of Islamic nationalism between 1911 and 1927. Using a qualitative historical approach based on archival documents, periodicals, and relevant scholarly literature, the study finds that SI adopted Pan-Islamism as a source of moral and political legitimacy in resisting colonial rule. Pan-Islamic ideas encouraged SI to develop strategies of mass mobilization, political education, economic empowerment, and organizational consolidation. Despite internal ideological tensions, SI maintained a nationalist orientation rooted in Islamic values. This article argues that Pan-Islamism functioned not merely as a transnational religious discourse but as an ideological framework that transformed Islamic solidarity into anti-colonial nationalism in colonial Indonesia. The study concludes that SI played a pivotal role in the formation of Islamic nationalism and the broader struggle for Indonesian independence.
Copyright (c) 2026 Moh. Fahsin, M. Abdul Karim, Sujadi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Hijrah to Yathrib as a Socio-Political Strategy in the Formation of the Early Islamic Political Order
The Prophet’s migration (Hijrah) to Yathrib is generally understood within a theological framework as an effort to preserve the Islamic mission from the pressures of the Quraysh. While this perspective is important, it tends to overlook the socio-political dimensions underlying the choice of Yathrib as the destination of the migration, rather than other regions in the Arabian Peninsula. This article aims to analyse the Hijrah to Yathrib from a socio-political perspective by positioning it as a strategic decision within the context of social structure, political conflict, and the need for political legitimacy. This study employs a qualitative-descriptive approach based on a literature review of sirah sources, classical Islamic historiography, and modern academic scholarship. The findings indicate that Yathrib possessed a relatively open socio-political character, marked by fragmented power structures, ethnic and religious plurality, and a crisis of local leadership legitimacy, which enabled the emergence of an external authoritative figure such as the Prophet Muhammad. These conditions suggest that the Hijrah was not merely a geographical relocation, but rather a transformative process from a tribal-based society into a political community bound by a shared legal agreement. This article contributes to the enrichment of Hijrah studies by offering an alternative interpretation that frames the migration as an early form of socio-political transformation in Islamic history.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ridwan Nasution, Abdul Rahman, Muhammad Zein https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Tarekat as Moral Formation: Reframing Religious Moderation through Moral Theology in North Sumatra
This study critically examines the role of Tarekat (Ṣūfī orders) in fostering religious moderation within the socio-cultural plurality of North Sumatera. Employing a qualitative approach grounded in in-depth interviews, the research explores how spiritual teachings and embodied practices of the Tarekat shape moral dispositions that encourage tolerance, social harmony, and inclusive coexistence. Unlike previous sociological studies on Tarekat that primarily emphasize their social and cultural functions, this article examines Tarekat as a process of moral formation that generates communal virtues supportive of religious moderation. The findings demonstrate that core spiritual principles such as self-purification (tazkiyat al-nafs), disciplined self-control, and sustained attentiveness to God function as ethical resources that mitigate tendencies toward religious extremism among adherents. Beyond individual moral formation, tarekat communities actively engage in interreligious dialogue, mediate religious tensions, and promote inclusive participation in broader social life. From the perspective of moral theology, these practices illustrate how spiritually grounded ethical formation can contribute to the cultivation of communal virtues necessary for pluralistic societies. The study argues that Tarekat not only serve as loci of spiritual devotion but also operate as morally significant agents of religious moderation, offering a constructive model for sustaining social harmony in contexts marked by religious and cultural diversity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Abrar M. Dawud Faza, Intan Kumalasari, Sidiq Hartono https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Transformation of Qadzaf into Li’an in Indonesian Religious Courts: A Ḥudūd Theory Perspective
This study examines the transformation of Qadzaf handling in Indonesian Religious Courts and analyzes its relevance through Muhammad Shahrur’s Ḥudūd Theory. Employing a qualitative socio-legal approach, this field research combines juridical-normative analysis with empirical data collected through document analysis, semi-structured interviews with five key informants (three Religious Court judges and two Islamic law experts), and limited observation. Existing studies generally examine li’an within the framework of Islamic family law (fiqh munakahat), whereas this study analyzes the epistemological transformation of Qadzaf from a classical Islamic criminal offense into a civil litigation mechanism in Indonesia’s contemporary Islamic legal system. The findings reveal that Qadzaf is not explicitly recognized in Religious Court practice but is institutionally represented through the li’an procedure. Instead of applying classical ḥudūd sanctions such as eighty lashes, disputes are resolved through mutual oaths and their legal consequences for marriage dissolution. This transformation reflects the adaptation of the principle of protecting human dignity (ḥifzh al-’irdh) within Indonesia’s national legal framework. Theoretically, this study demonstrates the continuing relevance of Shahrur’s Ḥudūd Theory in explaining legal flexibility within normative Islamic boundaries. It also contributes to contemporary Islamic legal scholarship by showing how the classical doctrine of Qadzaf has been recontextualized into a family law mechanism that accommodates legal pluralism, maqāṣid al-sharī’ah, and the Indonesianization of Islamic law.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mohammad Nabiel, Lailatus Syafa’ah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Reconstructing ‘Irfānī Epistemology: Najm al-Dīn Kubrā and the Philosophical Legitimacy of Mystical Knowledge
Contemporary discussions on Islamic epistemology continue to privilege rational and empirical modes of knowledge, while the epistemological legitimacy of mystical intuition remains contested. Existing studies on Najm al-Dīn Kubrā have largely focused on his contributions to Sufism, Qur'anic exegesis, and the Kubrawīyah order, with limited attention given to the philosophical structure of his ‘irfānī epistemology. This study aims to reconstruct Kubrā's epistemological framework and examine how spiritual intuition functions as a legitimate source of knowledge within the Islamic intellectual tradition. Employing qualitative library research with a phenomenological approach inspired by William James, the study analyses Kubrā's principal works, Fawā’iḥ al-Jamāl wa-Fawātīḥ al-Jalāl and al-Ta’wīlāt al-Najmīyah, in dialogue with the epistemological formulations of al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī, al-Ghazālī, and Ibn Sīnā. The findings demonstrate that Kubrā developed a coherent ‘irfānī epistemology in which kashf, dhawq, and mushāhadah constitute valid epistemic modes that complement empirical observation and rational inquiry through spiritual discipline (mujāhadah). Furthermore, the concepts of Shaykh al-Ghayb, Kitāb al-Ghayb, and Ism al-Ghayb represent Kubrā's original contribution to explaining the process of mystical cognition. This reconstruction offers an alternative perspective to al-Jābirī's critique by showing that ‘irfānī epistemology should be understood not as an obstacle to intellectual development but as an expansion of the epistemological horizon within the Islamic intellectual tradition. The study contributes to contemporary discussions on Islamic epistemology, philosophy of religion, and Sufi hermeneutics by demonstrating that mystical knowledge constitutes a systematic theory of knowledge rather than merely a form of personal religious experience.
Copyright (c) 2026 Putra Aldomi, Dr. Arrazy Hasyim, MA.Hum https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Online Gambling and the Violation of Maqashid Shariah: Implications for Family Communication and Economic Stability in Indonesia
This paper examines online gambling in Indonesia from the perspective of Maqashid Shariah. Previous studies have primarily focused on its legal status, psychological effects, economic consequences, and family-related problems, while limited attention has been given to how online gambling simultaneously undermines the fundamental objectives of Islamic law. Addressing this gap, the study analyzes online gambling as a form of systemic mafsadah that threatens multiple dimensions of human welfare (maslahah). Employing a qualitative library research approach, the study analyzes scholarly publications, official reports, and relevant academic literature using qualitative content analysis. The findings demonstrate that online gambling generates interconnected harms extending beyond financial loss, eroding the protection of religion (hifz al-din), intellect (hifz al-'aql), wealth (hifz al-mal), family and future generations (hifz al-nasl), and ultimately social stability. Rather than constituting merely a prohibited form of maisir, online gambling represents a multidimensional threat that weakens the ethical, economic, and social foundations of Muslim society. This study contributes to contemporary Maqashid Shariah scholarship by proposing a systemic framework for understanding digital gambling and offers a normative basis for developing preventive policies and strengthening family resilience in the digital era.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nur Saniah, Marlina, Ade Khadijatul Z. Hrp, Rahmat https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From Religious Identity to Cultural Citizenship: Identity Transformation and Civil Rights Negotiation among MLKI Banyumas
This research examines how the community of religious adherents who are members of the Supreme Council of Belief in the One Almighty God of Indonesia (MLKI) in Banyumas transforms their religious identity into a cultural identity as a strategy to negotiate recognition and obtain civil rights. This article puts forward a conceptual argument that differs from existing legal-administrative studies: rather than viewing recognition solely as a matter of state regulation, this article frames identity transformation as a deliberate practice of cultural citizenship (cultural citizenship). The analysis is built primarily on Amartya Sen's theory of identity specifically the distinction between singular identity, plural identity, and the "illusion of identity" and is strengthened by Erving Goffman's concept of stigma, Axel Honneth and Charles Taylor's theory of recognition, and Stuart Hall's notion of cultural identity. Using a qualitative socio-anthropological approach through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, this study found that MLKI Banyumas reduces stigma and discrimination by highlighting cultural dimensions through activities such as visiting and participating in the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB), thus transforming marginalized religious identities into recognized cultural identities without abandoning their beliefs. The novelty of this article lies in theorizing cultural identity as a form of negotiated citizenship strategy, through which marginalized faith communities gain social legitimacy while maintaining their spiritual beliefs.
Copyright (c) 2026 Abdul Qodir Abdillah, Roibin, Lutfi Mustofa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Lived Islamic Environmental Ethics and Communal Ecological Transformation in An-Nur Pesantren
Environmental sustainability has increasingly become an important concern in Islamic studies, yet most research on eco-pesantren primarily examines environmental education or institutional waste management without explaining how Islamic environmental ethics are translated into everyday communal practice. Addressing this gap, this study investigates how Islamic environmental ethics function as a lived ethic that shapes ecological responsibility within An-Nur Pesantren, Yogyakarta. Employing a qualitative case-study approach based on interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, the research integrates Holistic Environmental Ethics with the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) framework to examine the relationship between religious values and ecological practices. The findings reveal that waste reduction is understood not merely as an environmental obligation but as an act of worship embedded in religious discipline and communal life. Practices such as banning single-use plastics, encouraging reusable containers, promoting modest consumption, and integrating environmental responsibility into daily pesantren routines have significantly reduced waste generation while fostering collective ecological awareness. The study argues that Islamic environmental ethics operate as a lived communal ethic capable of transforming environmental responsibility into a sustainable religious practice. It further proposes that pesantren offer a faith-based alternative to neoliberal eco-consumerism by cultivating ecological transformation through spiritual values, communal discipline, and moral formation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Muizudin, Wasil, Hassin Dzikry Ramadhan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0